ISS Daily Summary Report – 2/07/2018

AstroPi Video for Columbus: To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the launch of the Columbus module to the International Space Station (ISS), today the crew recorded a short video of themselves using AstroPi to wish Columbus a happy birthday. Columbus was launched aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis and is a science laboratory that can accommodate ten active International Standard Payload Racks for science payloads. AstroPis are two augmented Raspberry Pi computers equipped with the mighty Sense Hardware Attached on Top (HAT) that measure the environment inside the space station, detect how the station moves through space, and pick up the Earth’s magnetic field. Each AstroPi is also equipped with different kinds of cameras: one has an infrared camera, and the other has a standard visible spectrum camera.

Rodent Research 6 (RR-6): Today the crew performed the second of day of RR-6 operations by conducting fixative swaps and processing a series of blood samples from the rodents and placing the samples in the Minus Eighty Degree Celsius Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI) for containment. The Rodent Research-6 (RR-6) mission uses mice flown aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and maintained on Earth to test drug delivery systems for combatting muscular breakdown in space or during disuse conditions. RR-6 includes several groups of mice selectively treated with a placebo or implanted with a nanochannel drug delivery chip that administers compounds meant to maintain muscle in low gravity/disuse conditions.

NanoRacks DreamUp Xtronaut Crystal Growth (Dream XCG): To track the progression of the Dream XCG formation that was initiated last week, the crew took photo and video images of each pouch to show any visible sugar crystal growth. This investigation teaches students about the effects of microgravity on crystal formations using near-identical flight kits flown and operated aboard the ISS. With access to crew member videos and data on the same experiment, students are able compare crystal formations in space to those in their classrooms. The investigation aims to promote science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields to the next generation of students.

Earth Imagery from ISS Target (EIISS): Using the Nikon camera, the crew captured images of the Nile Delta at night. EIISS is used to support creation of a series of videos showcasing Earth views taken from space. The videos are taken with cameras on the ISS in 6K hi-resolution and are integrated into videos for screensavers for public enjoyment, exploration, and engagement.

Education Payloads Operations (EPO) – A View on Earth: To show children the Cupola on the ISS and the view of Earth from its windows, today the crew recorded a video to capture the images of Earth and the types of things you can see from the ISS. The video also featured the European Space Agency’s mascot for young kids.

On Board Training (OBT), Emergency Simulation: Today the entire crew participated in an emergency situation simulation OBT, in which they rehearsed their responses to onboard emergencies. After the OBT, the crew discussed the simulation and responses with ground training crews.